Hi there. I'm good at self treating muscles, but having problems tracking down what's causing my round shouldered posture at the moment. There's a curve in my upper back.
I have checked my obvious candidates...my chest is relatively free of trigger points and well stretched, have treated scalenes and levator scapula.
There doesn't seem to be anything heinously wrong with my infraspinatus or rhomboids, or superficial spinal muscles.
I wouldn't have thought it would be the deep spinal muscles causing it as they cause localised pain.
The only pain I feel is a slight catching feeling and twinge just inside the top of the shoulderblade, which would make me think scalenes or lev. scapulae except that those seem fine.
I would suggest zoom out a level, you'll probably see an overall swayback posture. If you then think of the function of the large bowstring of latisimus dorsi - bringing the front of the humerus and the back of the pelvis closer together. By all means zoom in again if you need, but start with the big picture.
Do you exercise?
You might want to strengthen your core muscles as well as upper back muscles.
What kind of work do you do? Do you sit at a desk or at the computer a lot?
Become aware of your posture and straighten up.
kvdp, thanks that set me on the right track. It's more pelvis tilted forward than swayback, but is problems lower down. Just couldn't see the wood for the trees.
busydiva, yes I do exercise in general, but when I say 'treat' muscles, my method is to deactivate trigger points rather than just exercise antagonist muscles etc.
Glad if that has perhaps opened a door or two.
I am inclined to agree with your other point (if I understand you correctly): before putting new tensions into the system, let's first look at the various unhelpful tensions that are already there and deal with those.
Yes, I think treatment that just focusses on strengthening muscles to improve posture is flawed... I have had a physio that wanted to work like that.
What I mean is say for example tight pectoral muscles are causing round shoulders, if you just exercise the rotator cuffs, you're putting increased strain on those pectoral attachments and it won't have the full effect. If you treat trigger points and gently stretch when under control, the posture may start to right itself and you can start to do the same for the back.
Sounds like you think in a similar way...
However, if you just deactivate the trigger points without correcting the issue that caused them in the first place, you are not going to get results and the TP's will stay active...
Yeh, true but I'd say the issues that 'cause' them are mostly external e.g. RSI. If there is another problem in the body it could cause knock-on effects and satellite points, but it probably won't be solved by strength exercises.
The antagonist and supporting muscles don't get weak on their own it's probably because they've got chronic trigger points and aren't working properly.
Is that what you were talking about?
The antagonist and supporting muscles may not get week on their own, however, they may be compensating and therefor create an imbalance.
Think about you body being a lever pulley system.